Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam
|image=Ps2 Gundam vs zeta Gundam Cover.jpg |english=Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam |kanji=機動戦士ガンダム ガンダムvs.Ζガンダム |romaji=Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Z Gundam |era=Universal Century |media=Game |episodes= |volumes= |japanese start=December 9, 2004 |english start=June 25, 2005 |japanese end= |english end= |platform=GameCube, PlayStation 2 |mode=Single-player, multiplayer |producer= |publisher=Bandai |magazine= |director= |music= }}Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam (Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Z Gundam 機動戦士ガンダム ガンダムvs.Ζガンダム) is a PS2 and GameCube arcade third-person shooter. It was released on the PlayStation 2 in the U.S. on June 29, 2005. The game takes place seven years after the One Year War Gundam storyline. The game features 31 mobile suits which can be played on five different modes. These modes are arcade, versus, universal century mode, survival, and training.The game is praised for the number of available playable mobile suits and the number of different modes of play. However, it is criticized for the bland background, poor controls, low frame rates and an unadjustable camera angle. Gameplay Like with its predecessor, Gundam Vs Z Gundam retains the use of a resource bar in Arcade mode. Powerful units cost more to re-sortie after being destroyed. If the player's resource meter is totally depleted, the game will be over. As with the TV series, the major new change is the transformation mechanic. While a similar mechanic existed in the previous game with Zeon's aquatic mobile suits, it becomes the forefront of the gameplay as many of the new units have the ability to transform into a high-speed flight form that drains the boost gauge for as long as the user is in this mode. Another new feature is the Awaken System. By dealing or receiving damage, a gauge will fill up underneath the pilot's name. Once full, the player can activate the gauge which will surround the mobile suit and the allied unit in a colored aura, depending on which Awaken was selected before the fight: Assault (yellow) which grants a slight speed boost and attack bonus as well as immunity to flinching. Mobility (blue), which grants a significant speed boost and Recover (red) grants the user a small additional amount of HP, added defense, and a slight attack bonus during the the gauge's duration. The drawback however is that the afflicted mobile suit will lose a body part and any weapons or thrusters attached to it. So long as the user is able to keep filling up the gauge, they can escape destruction but will continue to lose more body parts as a result, capping off at a maximum of 2. The home versions feature an exclusive "UC Mode" where the player can relive the One Year War and the Gryps conflict from the perspective of each of the major characters. Though it mainly follows the canon storyline, alternate scenarios can unlock when certain conditions are met (clearing a certain character's path, preventing the death of an ally who was supposed to get killed in a certain story part, etc.), invariably leading to a different end. Through certain conditions, it is also possible to unlock a scenario for Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack. Mobile Suits can be powered up by expending UC Points, making missions easier. Collection Points are earned when playing certain modes, allowing purchase of extras in the Collection gallery like Artwork, BGMs, MS/MA/Warship model cards, etc. Some can be purchased directly, but the rest have to be won at random from the Secret Containers. Exclusively for the home version is the ability to unlock the titular ZZ Gundam along with the Qubeley Mk.II and their pilots as well as an additional unlock to use the MRX-010 Psyco Gundam Mk-II in any mode. Similar to Federation Vs Zeon, the player is free to choose any mobile suit in Arcade and Vs regardless of what faction they have sided with the exception that said mobile suits are automatically unlocked on all sides from the very start. As a result, units from the opposing side are given new color schemes to reflect their faction such as AEUG-operated Titans suits being given a predominantly blue or white color scheme or AEUG suits captured by Titans given a black and dark blue palette. Mobile Armors from the OYW are also give new color schemes as well such as a Federation-operated Big Zam being given a blue color scheme or a Zeon-operated G-Fighter being given a green one. Characters Playable Earth Federation *Amuro Ray *Hayato Kobayashi *Kai Shiden *Ryu Jose *Sayla Mass *Sleggar Law Titans *Jerid Messa *Paptimus Scirocco *Mouar Pharaoh *Four Murasame *Rosamia Badam *Kacricon Cacooler *Yazan Gable *Lila Milla Rira *Dunkel Cooper *Ramsus Hasa *Gates Capa *Sarah Zabiarov *Reccoa Londe *Emma Sheen *Buran Blutarch Anti-Earth Union Group *Kamille Bidan *Quattro Bajeena *Apolly Bay *Roberto *Emma Sheen *Katz Kobayashi *Amuro Ray *Fa Yuiry *Reccoa Londe *Judau Ashta *Elpeo Ple Principality of Zeon *Char Aznable *Lalah Sune *Haman Karn *Garma Zabi *Dozle Zabi *Black Tri-Stars *M'Quve *Ramba Ral *Ple Two *Apolly Bay *Roberto Non-Playable Earth Federation *Bright Noa *Fraw Bow *Sayla Mass *Mirai Yashima Titans *Paptimus Scirocco *Jamaican Daninghan Anti-Earth Union Group *Bright Noa *Henken Bekkener *Torres *Astonaige Medoz *Hayato Kobayashi List of Mechanics Earth Federation *RGM-79 GM *[GM Ground Type|RGM-79[G GM Ground Type]] *RX-75-4 Guntank *RX-77-2 Guncannon *RX-78-2 Gundam *[Gundam Ground Type|RX-79[G Gundam Ground Type]] *RB-79 Ball *G-Fighter *G-Sky *G-Bull Titans *RMS-179 GM II (Titans colors) *RMS-106 Hizack (EFF and Titans colors) **RMS-106CS Hizack Custom *RMS-117 Galbaldy β *RMS-108 Marasai *RMS-154 Barzam *RX-160 Byalant *RX-110 Gabthley *NRX-044 Asshimar *ORX-005 Gaplant *RX-139 Hambrabi *PMX-000 Messala *MRX-009 Psyco Gundam *MRX-010 Psyco Gundam Mk-II *RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (Titans colors) *NRX-055 Baund Doc (Unit 1 and Unit 2) *PMX-002 Bolinoak Sammahn *PMX-001 Palace Athene *PMX-003 The O Anti-Earth Union Group *RMS-179 GM II (AEUG colors) *MSA-005 Methuss *MSA-003 Nemo *MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam *MSK-008 Dijeh *RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (AEUG colors) *MSN-00100 Hyaku Shiki *RMS-099 Rick Dias (Black/Red colors) *MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam *FXA-05D G-Defenser *RX-178+FXA-05D Super Gundam Principality of Zeon *MS-05 Zaku I *MS-06 Zaku II **MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type *MS-07B Gouf *MS-09B Dom **MS-09R Rick Dom *MS-14A Gelgoog **MS-14S Gelgoog Commander Type *MSM-03 Gogg *MSM-04 Acguy *MSM-07 Z'Gok *MSM-10 Zock *MSN-02 Zeong *YMS-15 Gyan *MAX-03 Adzam *MA-04X Zakrello *MA-05 Bigro *MA-08 Big Zam *MAM-07 Grublo *MAN-03 Braw Bro *MAN-08 Elmeth *AMX-003 Gaza-C *AMX-004 Qubeley *AMX-004 Qubeley Mk-II (Unit 1 and Unit 2) Gallery 406651-gundam large.jpg|American PlayStation 2 Cover Ps2 Gundam vs zeta Gundam Cover.jpg|PlayStaton 2 Cover 256px-Gundam_VS_Z_Gundam.jpg|Gamecube Cover url2486.jpg EFF Units in Zeon Colors Ball (Zeon Colors).png G-Bull (Zeon Colors).png G-Fighter (Zeon Colors).png GM (Zeon Colors).png GM Ground Type (Zeon Colors).png G-Sky (Zeon Colors).png Guncannon (Zeon Colors).png Gundam (Zeon Colors).png Gundam Ground Type (Zeon Colors).png Guntank (Zeon Colors).png Zeon Units in EFF Colors Acguy (EFF Colors).png Adzam (EFF Colors).png Big Zam (EFF Colors).png Bigro (EFF Colors).png Braw Bro (EFF Colors).png Char's Gelgoog (EFF Colors).png Char's Zaku II (EFF Colors).png Char's Z'Gok (EFF Colors).png Dom (EFF Colors).png Elmeth (EFF Colors).png Gelgoog (EFF Colors).png Gogg (EFF Colors).png Gouf (EFF Colors).png Grublo (EFF Colors).png Gyan (EFF Colors).png Rick Dom (EFF Colors).png Zakrello (EFF Colors).png Zaku I (EFF Colors).png Zaku II (EFF Colors).png Zaku II Missile Pods (EFF Colors).png Zeong (EFF Colors).png Z'Gok (EFF Colors).png Zock (EFF Colors).png AEUG Units in Titans Colors Dijeh (Titans Colors).png G-Defenser (Titans Colors).png Hyaku Shiki (Titans Colors).png Methuss (Titans Colors).png Nemo (Titans Colors).png Rick Dias (Titans Colors).png Rick Dias Early (Titans Colors).png Super Gundam (Titans Colors).png Zeta Gundam (Titans Colors).png ZZ Gundam (Titans Colors).png Titans & Axis Zeon Units in AEUG Colors Asshimar (AEUG Colors).png Barzam (AEUG Colors).png Baund Doc Unit 1 (AEUG Colors).png Baund Doc Unit 2 (AEUG Colors).png Bolinoak Sammahn (AEUG Colors).png Byalant (AEUG Colors).png EFF Hizack (AEUG Colors).png Gabthley (AEUG Colors).png Galbaldy Beta (AEUG Colors).png Gaplant (AEUG Colors).png Gaza C (AEUG Colors).png Haman's Qubeley (AEUG Colors).png Hambrabi (AEUG Colors).png Hizack (AEUG Colors).png Hizack Custom (AEUG Colors).png Marasai (AEUG Colors).png Messala (AEUG Colors).png Palace Athene (AEUG Colors).png Psyco Gundam (AEUG Colors).png Psycho Gundam MK-II (AEUG Colors).png The O (AEUG Colors).png Trivia *Judau Ashta, Elpeo Ple and Ple Two are only playable in Arcade Mode, though some of them have brief appearances in certain alternate arcs of UC Mode. *The game has a couple exploitable bugs that allows for an easy Newtype S Rank when playing as either Char, Apolly, Roberto, or M'Quve in the UC Mode, One Year War arc. **For Char, Apolly, and Roberto, it entails simply hiding inside the dome in New Yark where the White Base is situated (and hitting it a few times). If done correctly, Amuro will try in vain to attack from the other side of the dome wall until the Gaw crash event occurs. **For M'Quve, it occurs during his Battle of Odessa mission and using his Adzam, in which the player can just hover out of reach of the Big Tray's guns and the mobile suits while using the Secondary Weapon to bombard the Big Tray. *This marks the first and only time Mobile Armors can be used in Arcade mode as opposed to being restricted to Versus mode regarding playability. *Because of an odd decision by Bandai, Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam uses both the Ocean Group voice actors and the Bluewater voice actors for their characters. This leads to awkward moments where characters who were present in both series will change voice actors on the fly. *Despite not being localized or having the rights, GVZG retains all of the material for ZZ which includes not only the titular mobile suit and characters, but even the openings It's Not Anime and Silent Voice, making this unique among localized Gundam games for being the first one to retain an opening song where in usual cases it would be removed. External links *http://www.bandaigames.channel.or.jp/list/cs_gvsz/ *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Suit_Gundam:_Gundam_vs._Zeta_Gundam